Squad For Malaga and Betis Friendlies Announced

Vincenzo Montella has chosen a strong squad for Fiorentina's upcoming Iberian friendlies, including several players whose futures with la Viola remain uncertain. Juan Cuadrado makes the squad for the first time this summer, despite swirling transfer rumors. Alberto Aquilani , Rafal Wolski, and Matias Vecino all also have off-field matters to attend to with the club - with Vecino and Wolski nearing loan moves to Empoli - but they will have to put those matters aside for a couple days while they travel to Spain to face Malaga and Real Betis in the space of little more than 24 hours.

Oleksandr Iakovenko makes the squad in time to face Malaga, the club he was (unsuccessfully) loaned to last season. Jose Maria Basanta has had issues getting his legal affairs in order and has not yet joined the team in Florence for training, so Fiorentina primavera player Gianluca Mancini makes the squad as an auxiliary central defender. Federico Bernardeschi will not travel with the team due to a bout of tonsillitis from which we all hope he recovers soon. Gonzalo Rodriguez makes the squad despite residual pain in his face from the blow sustained in our last friendly; he will be expected to play with a protective mask.

Here is the Fiorentina squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Norberto Neto, Ciprian Tatarusanu, Luca Lezzerini

Defenders: Manuel Pasqual, Marcos Alonso, Ahmed Hegazi, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Stefan Savic, Facundo Roncaglia, Nenad Tomovic, Gianluca Mancini, Cristiano Piccini

Midfielders: Juan Cuadrado, Borja Valero, Joshua Brillante, Alberto Aquilani, David Pizarro, Lazzari, Matias Vecino, Juan Vargas, Rafal Wolski

Strikers: Giuseppe Rossi, Mario Gomez, Khouma Babàcar, Josip Ilicic, Iakovenko, Joaquin